PEOPLE living near a Bagshot garden centre fear plans to develop part of its land with 194 homes will lead to traffic chaos.

Neighbours of Notcutts are particularly concerned how the extra cars will access the entrance on the busy A30 London Road.

The plans are not yet registered with Surrey Heath Borough Council but were on display last Thursday at an exhibition in Bagshot organised by developer Charles Church.

They show a mixture of one, two and three storey houses and flats on one side, with a compact garden centre and 18.5 acres of open space.

One woman living opposite the garden centre, who wished to remain anonymous, says she is not opposed to housing in principle but is concerned about the entrance on London Road.

She said the plans show an access road leading to a mini- roundabout with exits to the garden centre and housing estate.

“It will be very, very dangerous,” she said. “Presumably residents in cars will be coming out on the slip road leading on to the A30.

“Already you can see how dangerous it is when people pulling out of the garden centre are trying to turn right.”

Although the road is difficult to cross, especially for pedestrians, she hopes the scheme will not include the installation of traffic lights.

“We have already got three sets of traffic lights along that part of the A30,” she said.

“It would be absolute chaos to have more. There are already traffic queues outside my house at eight o’clock in the morning.”

A neighbour, who also wished to remain anonymous, agreed.

She said the exhibition showed the slip road leading into the site but no detailed highway scheme for the entrance.

“What I want to know is what they intend to do with getting in and out,” she said.

Members of Windlesham Parish Council and Surrey Heath Borough Council also attended the exhibition at Brook Church, The Square, Bagshot.

They declined to give personal opinions at this stage, but were able to report the public’s comments.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Bryan Ward said: “It was certainly very busy with people of all ages. A lot seemed to be impressed with the open space.”

Cllr Duncan Clark, a Liberal Democrat representing Bagshot, said people were worried about the new homes’ impact on local roads and services.

He said: “The major concern and questions were about road safety, especially getting in and out of the site. Others wanted to know why the village needs more housing.”

Charles Church argues that that since a similar application at the site was refused several years ago planning legislation has changed.

It says it was previously refused permission because there was other land available for development. Now with Natural England’s criteria for housing developments to provide open space to protect the nearby Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area, the situation in Surrey Heath has changed.

The developer says its latest scheme meets new government guidance requiring local authorities to supply new homes.

Its statement said: “This application represents a direct response to the acute shortage of housing, especially affordable housing, which exists and will progressively worsen in the borough as a result of the inability of developers to comply with the onerous requirements of the Natural England draft delivery plan.

“The Notcutt’s nursery site, unlike other housing sites identified by the council for housing, can make adequate provision for SPA mitigation land.”

A spokesman for The Bagshot Society declined to comment on the plans at this stage.

The proposed development would also provide 50% homes for affordable housing.